Mount Rushmore and Bear Country

Our campground is located .2miles from Mt. Rushmore, so that is where we started today.

 Brennen did NOT want to take pictures!

 Then we headed off to Bear Country USA.  It is a wildlife sanctuary that you can drive through.  It was really cool (and a little scary) being so close to all of the animals. Especially when the kids wanted to get out of the car and pet the animals!

 Finally, some Buffalo!

 Time for feeding the baby bears.  They were so cute!

 Then it was time to cool off in the lake at our campground.  I mean really cool off.  The water was a chilling 62 degrees. This is the view from our campsite.

 Skylar and James decided to do a little cliff jumping.  I would not let Brennen and Kellen and they were very mad at me for that!

 He is midair, not standing on the rocks!

 The whole crew.

Off to the blackhills!

Today we drive over to the Black Hills.  But first, we stop at Deadwood and check out the saloon where Wild Bill was shot in the back during a game of poker.

 

After exploring Deadwood, we head to the campground to set up camp. Our personal chef has his outdoor kitchen up and running!

Our first day exploring the badlands

 The sign was a little frightening, but we persevered!

 Kellen (making some interesting fashion choices) happy with his climb!

 Skylar was off to the races.  She discovered a passion for climbing.  She always wanted to find the highest, most difficult rock to climb.

 Brennen is the ulimate big brother!  He absolutely takes care of his little sister.

 She made it to the top!

 For those that didn't need to go to high (or, mom would not let them!).

 Soooooo happy to be together again!  It had been three years since we were together.

 Annie and Kellen trying to get to Skylar.

 Papa in the big wide world.

 All done hiking and a modified "dock" photo!

 Then we had to explore the prairie so we could find...

 

 Prairie Dogs!

 And Buffalo (which turned out to be cows)!

The great camping adventure begins!

The time has finally arrived for us to head out to the wild west with The Swedes!  We decide to meet up at Skyzone before we head to our campgrounds in the Badlands.  It's like we have never been apart-the kids were instantly best friends again!  We were even +1 passenger as we headed out:)

 

We have arrived!  We are so excited to start exploring those...

 

A girls day out!

My birthday gift to Skylar was a day of shopping, eating and movies.  We had so much fun and Skylar found a lot of new clothes!

Lakehouse life is good!

Summer Celebration

Every year our town puts on a summer celebration. On Friday night, everyone lines up on Main Street and watches the parade of cars.  Everyone with a cool old car gets it out and cruises down the street.  Lotta caught me driving my little black car.

 

Then the kids all got their faces painted.  Skylar and James were off to swim camp, so they missed out on all of the fun.